Effect of experimental endometriosis induction on follicle development and corpora lutea regression in a rat model

BILOTAS M; OLIVARES C; D¨AUGERO J; BENGOCHEA T; MERESMAN G; BARAÑAO RI

San Pablo

Congreso; 12th World Endometriosis Congress; 2014

World Endometriosis Society

Objective: Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain endometriosis associated infertility including alterations in follicular and peritoneal environment, in folliculogenesis and in granulosa cells function. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of endometriosis on follicle and corpus luteum development and on apoptosis of the ovary. Design: Two month old female Sprague Dawley rats were surgically performed to either induce endometriosis or to a sham procedure. One month after surgery animals were sacrificed at proestrus. Ovaries were excised, one was fixed and the other one was frozen. Lesions were removed in order to histologically confirm endometriosis. Materials and methods: Follicles at different stages and corpora lutea were counted in ovary sections. Corpora lutea size was estimated measuring their diameter. Apoptosis was evaluated by Tunel in ovary slices. Pro and anti- apoptotic proteins expression was assessed by western blot in total protein extracts from ovary. Results: The number of total ovarian structures was reduced in animals with endometriosis (p